Illegal California pharmacy faces charges

A grand jury in Philadelphia, USA, has indicted the alleged operator of an illegal pharmacy for the distribution of prescription drugs via the Internet. The defendant, Jorge Alan Rodriguez Sanchez, has been charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances through the operation of an illegal Internet pharmacy, as well as four counts of distribution of controlled substances through the operation of an illegal Internet pharmacy. The Department of Justice also gave some details of the methods used by illegal prescription medicine traffickers, including payment methods.

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 on each charged count. In addition, asset forfeiture proceedings could follow against any funds or property alleged to be the result of criminal activity.

Prosecutors told the grand jury that, in 2002, Mr Rodriguez established an e-mail account in Chula Vista, California, through which he could sell prescription drugs, such as the prescription-strength painkiller OxyContin (oxycondone HCl) without the proper control of a physician or legitimate medical use. The indictment alleges that customers purchased drugs by placing orders via e-mails. The most frequently-requested drug was oxycondone, including sales of US drugmaker Endo Pharmaceuticals' Percocet (acetaminophen and oxycondone) which is also sold as Endocet. The defendant also sold other prescription drugs including: USA-based Purdue Frederick and drug major Abbott Laboratories' Vicodin (hydrocodone 10mg, paracetamol 1g); Switzerland-based drug majors Roche's antidepressant Valium (diazepam); Novartis' attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder agent Ritalin (methylphenidate), which is licensed from US firm Celgene; and global behemoth Pfizer's anti-anxiety remedy Xanax (alprazolam).